SAYREVILLE, NJ -- New from Coast To Coast Entertainment LLC is a control board that allows operators to program settings on skill cranes with dead-on accuracy, and monitor machines with smartphones. The Stage 1 crane controller board features the manufacturer's new AutoClaw technology, an advanced function that enables a machine to automatically adjust itself.

The Stage 1 board is compatible with Coast To Coast's crane machine lines and recent Big Choice machines, which are made by Betson Enterprises. John Maurer, an owner of Sayreville, NJ-based Coast To Coast, said the new board takes the guesswork out of crane setup by eliminating the need to fiddle with dials, potentiometers and DIP switches.

The board allows operators to set credits between 25¢ and $10. They can also use it to adjust win ratios and set prize values ranging from $1 to $2,500. The board enables a variety of built-in diagnostic tests and reads SD cards, from which custom music can be uploaded to a crane machine.

The Stage 1 controller has communications software that allows cranes to connect to the Internet. Coast To Coast developed a remote monitoring application that runs on popular smartphones (BlackBerry, iPhone and Windows-based models). The app, available directly from Coast To Coast, permits operators to check game counters, run technical tests and adjust audio volume, among other functions, using their phones.

Coast To Coast Entertainment LLC, which markets cranes and redemption novelty games, was founded in 1999 by Gary Balaban and Maurer, who have been business partners in arcade and route operations since 1985. For information on the Stage 1 crane controller, which is likely to cost $695, call (800) 224-1717 or (732) 238-0096.